EARLIEST WHEATON now the year 1288

Back from a trip to Salt Lake City I will be sharing lots of information in the next few weeks.

 
First off is confirmation that Roger Beyvin and Roger le Whetene are one and the same man. He was an early wine merchant of Exeter and the earliest record located is a court case dated 8 Nov 1288. He along with others is cited for unloading 1 tun of wines at Colepole against the city statue. This Roger Beyvin le Whetene is listed in a number of records all having to do with importing wine and later as Mayor of Exeter. In the Book “The Local Customs Accounts of the Port of Exeter 1266-1321” by Maryanne Kowlseski 1993 pg 313 the footnote contains:

Roger le Wetene (also Whetene, Hwetene) and Roger Bevyn (also Beyvin) were the same person.

So here we have a very early account of a man with more than one name and the adoption of his surname. Bevyn is of Celtic origin and could be son of Evan or stand for young soldier.

Another of our early Wheatons is Alexander Leygh alias Alexander Wheton of Tiverton who appears in Court records in March of 1376 for owing 60 pounds (a substantial amount) to a Draper (clothing merchant) in London. As Tiverton was a town with a vibrant cloth trade this make sense. The Leygh may refer to any of several hamlets or manors near Tiverton by that name including one at Loxbeare and one in Halberton. I also have located records in 1310 listing brothers of a Alexander de la Leye as John and Joceus. In the 1332 Lay Subsidy Rolls there are 38 names listed in Halberton among them are: William Whetene, Edward de Leghe and a curious John de Mettone which I can’t help but wonder whether this should read Wettone.

I have begun updating this page so you may want to check back later:

https://sites.google.com/site/wheatonsurname/dna-in-depth-discussion/devon-wheatons